Olympus Stylus 1 vs Sony Cyber-shot HX10V: A Thorough Face-Off for Small Sensor Superzoom Enthusiasts

When considering superzoom cameras with compact sensors, it can feel like the choices blur together - but scratch the surface, and two models from a similar era reveal some distinct personalities shaped by very different design philosophies. The Olympus Stylus 1 (announced late 2013) and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V (early 2012) both aim for versatile zoom range and all-in-one convenience, yet they appeal differently depending on your priorities in ergonomics, image quality, and shooting style.

Having put both through extensive hands-on field testing, sensor measurements, and real-world use cases across photography genres - plus some intense side-by-side comparisons - this in-depth article aims to clear the fog. We'll guide you through everything from build and control ergonomics to sensor technology, autofocus behavior, video features, and how each performs for portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and more. And yes, I’ve factored in those all-important nuances that only emerge after hours of actual clicks, not just specs on paper.

So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into the details!

Hands-On Feel: Size, Shape, and Controls That Matter

Before pixels and processors, your interaction with a camera starts physically - how it shapes your shooting experience. Olympus took a decidedly “bridge” camera approach with the Stylus 1. It’s SLR-esque in shape, with pronounced handgrips, a rich control layout, and a tilting touchscreen. Sony’s HX10V, meanwhile, is a more compact, pocket-friendly point-and-shoot design, sacrificing some tactile engagement for portability.

What does that mean in practice?

The Stylus 1’s larger form factor (116x87x57 mm, 402 g) lets you hold it steady for longer, supports extensive manual controls, and offers an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 1440p resolution - great in bright conditions or when you want to conserve battery. That EVF alone makes a big difference if you prefer composing with your eye to avoid glare. The HX10V is noticeably smaller (105x60x34 mm, 234 g), easily slipping into a pocket or small bag, but it forgoes an EVF entirely, meaning you rely solely on the fixed rear LCD.

Speaking of controls, Olympus’s layout includes 25 focus points, a touchscreen for focusing and menu navigation, plus customizable buttons. Sony’s HX10V opts for simplicity - with just nine focus points and no touchscreen. If manual focus precision and direct access to settings matter to you, the Olympus will feel much more satisfying. Sony feels a bit constrained here, aimed at quick shooting without fuss.

For extended outings - travel, street photography, even wildlife where longer hold times come into play - the Olympus grip and tougher build feel reassuring. That said, if your priority is weight and pocketability, the HX10V packs quite a punch for its size.

Under the Hood: Comparing Sensor Tech and Image Quality Fundamentals

Digging beneath the hood, both models feature back-illuminated CMOS sensors - a solid choice for small-sensor cameras to maximize light capture. But there are some important contrasts worth explaining.

The Olympus Stylus 1 sports a 1/1.7” sensor measuring 7.44 x 5.58 mm (sensor area 41.52 mm²) with a 12 MP resolution. Sony’s HX10V uses a smaller 1/2.3” sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm, 28.07 mm²) but pushes 18 MP, significantly increasing pixel density.

From a technical standpoint, the Stylus 1’s larger sensor area means each pixel is relatively bigger, which translates to cleaner image quality at higher ISOs, smoother gradation, and better dynamic range. Indeed, measurements confirm this: Olympus scores 20.7 bits in color depth and 11.6 stops of dynamic range on DxOMark metrics, while Sony’s sensor wasn’t officially tested by DxO, but similar cameras with its sensor type show comparatively lower dynamic range and color depth.

Despite the higher megapixels, the HX10V’s sensor is often noisier at base ISO, and highlights clip sooner - factors that come through in shadow recovery and landscape captures. For portraits, the Olympus’s color reproduction tends to handle skin tones more naturally, avoiding the slight oversharpening and color shifts I sometimes observe in the Sony.

You’ll also notice a difference in anti-aliasing filters: both cameras employ them to minimize moiré, but that somewhat limits ultimate sharpness potential. Given the fixed-lens nature of both cameras, optimizations generally favor good real-world results without fussing over overly technical pixel-level details.

Eye on the Screen: Viewing and Composing

Tape your eyes on the eyepiece or the LCD? The Olympus’s inclusion of an EVF is a major selling point, especially if you shoot outdoors on bright days - where glare kills rear screen visibility. The Sony HX10V lacks an EVF entirely.

Olympus’s 3” touchscreen LCD tilts, which adds compositional flexibility for low or high-angle shots - a feature I used often when shooting macro florals or street candids. Expo, focus points, and settings can be adjusted with touch - handy in the field.

Sony’s HX10V has a fixed 3” screen with ‘XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD’ technology - this delivers good contrast and decent color fidelity indoors but does nothing for angle flexibility. Touch control is absent, so you navigate menus and focus via buttons alone.

In real-world scenarios, the Olympus setup gives you creative freedom and better visual feedback - especially important for precise focusing and exposure adjustments. The Sony leans toward ease and speed but limits those seeking in-camera control finesse.

Zoom Power and Lens Characteristics in Everyday Use

Ah, the heart of superzoom cameras - the lens! Olympus offers a 28-300 mm equivalent fixed lens (10.7x zoom), with a constant bright f/2.8 aperture across the entire range. Sony’s HX10V pushes an even longer reach with a 24-400 mm equivalent (16.7x zoom), but with a variable maximum aperture from f/3.3 to f/5.9.

This is meaningful for depth of field control, low-light performance, and autofocus speed:

• Olympus’s constant f/2.8 means you get consistent brightness and better bokeh characteristics at telephoto lengths, allowing smoother background separation in portraits or macro shots.
• Sony’s narrower maximum aperture at the long end (f/5.9) limits light catching and depth of field control, making backgrounds sharper and affecting autofocus performance under dim conditions.

Surprisingly, Olympus’s lens is sharp even wide open, showing great contrast and detail across the zoom range. Sony’s lens compromises on corner sharpness at the telephoto end, something noticeable in landscapes or architectural shots where all-around sharpness counts.

The Olympus’s macro focusing capability down to 5cm is excellent, paired with the bright aperture, enabling gorgeous close-ups with creamy background separation. Sony matches the focusing distance but lacks that aperture advantage, making macro shots less dramatic.

If your photography leans on telephoto reach for wildlife or sports, Sony’s longer zoom score can’t be ignored, but you trade off speed and lens speed.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Tracking the Moment

Fast autofocus and burst rates are critical in sports, wildlife, or candid street shooting. Here again, the two cameras adopt differing strategies.

• Olympus’s TruePic VI processor heads a 25-point contrast-detect AF system with face detection, continuous AF, and touch focus. Its burst shooting clocks in at 7 fps - a respectable number given the sensor size and image processing demands.
• Sony’s BIONZ engine drives a smaller 9-point contrast-detect AF system, manages face detection and AF tracking, and can snap at up to 10 fps in continuous mode.

While Sony’s burst rate edges ahead numerically, the Olympus system feels more reliable and fluid in tracking moving subjects - partly due to the denser focus points and refined algorithms embedded in its processor.

In my outdoor field tests photographing birds and children at play, Olympus found and held focus more steadfastly, with fewer missed shots due to focus hunting or mis-locks. Sony’s faster speed is great if shooting static or slow-action scenes where a quick series of images is paramount.

Neither camera supports phase-detection autofocus, so low-light or very fast-moving subjects challenge both, but Olympus’s brighter lens again confers an advantage in dimmer conditions.

Let’s Talk Image Samples

Because specs only tell part of the story, below are side-by-side real-world sample frames generated under daylight and indoor conditions.

Olympus 1 front Olympus 1 screen back Sony HX10V front Sony HX10V screen back

With Olympus, you’ll note smoother transitions in skin tones, more accurate color rendition of foliage, and better shadow detail retention - even when pushing shadows in post. Sony’s images are sharper at base ISO but carry more noise as you increase ISO sensitivity.

The Olympus’s superior dynamic range shines in high-contrast scenes, like sunsets or cityscapes with bright highlights and shadowed foreground elements.

Taking On Various Photography Genres: Which Camera Shines Where?

Photography enthusiasts come with diverse needs, so here’s a frank assessment of how these cameras align with popular genres.

Portraits

Olympus wins. Face and eye detection autofocus work well, aided by the bright constant f/2.8 lens that creates natural skin tones with lovely bokeh. Sony’s higher-res sensor helps capture detail but is offset by narrower apertures and less reliable focus.

Landscapes

Tie, shifting slightly to Olympus. Olympus’s larger sensor and better dynamic range easily tackle wide tonal distributions. Sony’s longer zoom helps with distant vistas but shows more edge softness.

Wildlife

Sony’s longer reach gives a benefit, but Olympus’s better autofocus and faster lens deliver sharper, more usable images. Opt for Olympus for active wildlife, Sony if sheer zoom range is priority.

Sports

Olympus’s AF tracking is superior, but Sony has slightly faster shooting speeds. For fast-paced sports, Olympus edges ahead in focus reliability.

Street

Sony’s pocketable compactness suits street photography, but Olympus’s viewfinder and touchscreen tilt make candid shooting easier in less-than-ideal lighting. Your pick depends on how much weight and gear you want.

Macro

Olympus excels with its close focus and bright lens, allowing creatively shallow depth of field. Sony can’t quite reach the same quality here.

Night/Astro

Olympus’s better ISO handling and dynamic range offer improved noise control and tonality. Neither camera is an astro powerhouse, but Olympus is more capable.

Video

Olympus shoots 1080p at 30 fps in MPEG-4/H.264, Sony offers 1080p at 60 fps in MPEG-4 and AVCHD. Both lack microphone and headphone jacks, with no 4K support. Sony’s smoother frame rates for video make it appealing for casual shooters; Olympus’s touchscreen enhances usability here.

Travel

Sony’s significantly smaller size and weight are strengths for grab-and-go travel. Olympus trades bulk for versatility and control.

Professional Work

Neither camera suits high-end pro work needing full-frame sensors or robust RAW workflow integration. Olympus supports RAW; Sony does not. For professionals needing backups and Lightroom compatibility, Olympus holds an edge.

Build Quality, Environmental Resistance & Battery Longevity

Neither camera offers weather sealing. Olympus’s build feels more solid and robust, but no rugged certifications on either. For weekend outdoor use in moderate conditions, both are fine; rough environments will call for more specialized gear.

Battery life favors Olympus modestly with 410 shots vs Sony’s 320. If you tend to shoot-heavy days or rely on EVF usage, Olympus’s higher capacity is meaningful.

Storage-wise, Olympus solely uses SD cards. Sony supports SD and Memory Stick formats - a plus if you already have Sony branded accessories.

Connectivity: Sharing and Wireless Options

Olympus includes basic built-in Wi-Fi; Sony predated widespread Wi-Fi with “Eye-Fi” compatibility. Neither support Bluetooth or NFC. For instant image transfer to phones or tablets, the Olympus model fares better today. Both have HDMI and USB 2.0 ports.

Value Proposition and Pricing Insights

At launch, Olympus Stylus 1 commanded a higher price (~$700) due to its advanced controls, lens, and EVF. Sony’s HX10V was more affordable (~$615), targeting a consumer market valuing pocketability over pro features.

Today, both are superseded by newer models, but as used or refurbished options, they still hold appeal based on priorities.

Final Performance Ratings - Scorecard Overview

Bringing it all together, here is how the two stack up on overall and category-specific performance metrics.

Who Should Buy Which?

Pick Olympus Stylus 1 if you:

• Want a solid all-rounder with excellent image quality from a small sensor
• Desire extensive manual controls and an EVF
• Often shoot portraits, macro, landscapes with an eye for sharpness and color accuracy
• Need a robust constant aperture on the zoom lens
• Prefer shooting in manual exposure modes and want RAW support
• Value touchscreen and tilt LCD for creative angles

Pick Sony HX10V if you:

• Prioritize a compact, pocketable form factor for travel or street photography
• Value longer zoom reach for distant subjects with some aperture trade-offs
• Shoot mostly JPEGs without post-processing
• Want faster burst shooting rates for quick sequences
• Appreciate smoother video frame rates at 60 fps 1080p
• Need built-in GPS for geotagging on the fly

Wrapping It Up with My Personal Take

As someone who often toggles between needing serious control and ease of use, the Olympus Stylus 1 remains my favorite overall for small-sensor superzoom users. Its balanced feature set, commanding manual options, and superior image quality make it a camera I recommend to enthusiasts craving more than a point-and-shoot but not ready for the bulk or expense of DSLR or mirrorless systems.

That said, if your priority is absolute portability combined with a very long zoom, and you’re okay with mostly JPEG shooting and simpler controls, the Sony HX10V stands out as a nimble travel companion.

In the end, these two cameras illustrate the arch of superzoom development just before mirrorless disruption reshaped the market. They remain capable tools, especially if you find one at a good price on the used market.

Happy shooting!

This article is accompanied by detailed sample photos and hands-on comparison footage available on my channel (linked above). Feel free to reach out if you have specific questions about use cases or workflow integration.

Image References Recap

• Physical size and ergonomics comparison:
• Top control layouts:
• Sensor details:
• LCD and interface:
• Image samples side-by-side:
  Olympus 1 front Olympus 1 screen back Sony HX10V front Sony HX10V screen back
• Overall performance scores:
• Genre-specific performance: